National Park Service awards more than $1.7 million in Maritime Heritage Grants

While there are many maritime national park sites, these grants allow the NPS and MARAD to assist in the preservation and education of maritime heritage in the community. NPS Photo / San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

WASHINGTON – The National Park Service announced today the apportionment of $1,752,073 for 27 maritime heritage grants to applicants in 13 states and the District of Columbia. In partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD), the National Park Service awarded grants for projects that teach about and preserve sites and objects related to our nation’s maritime history.

“Protecting our nation’s maritime history is an important part of the National Park Service’s mission to share America’s story,” said Acting National Park Service Director Michael T. Reynolds. “These grants will support efforts to conserve important parts of our maritime history and educate students of all ages.”

The National Maritime Heritage Program Grant awards are made possible through a partnership between the two federal agencies, which both share a commitment to maritime heritage preservation and education. They are funded through recycling of vessels from the MARAD’s National Defense Reserve Fleet. The grant program supports a broad range of maritime education and preservation projects, without expending tax dollars, while ensuring that the vessels are dismantled in an environmentally sound manner.

The National Park Service will administer these projects as direct grants to State Historic Preservation Offices, who will disburse funds to applicants. The recipients of the National Maritime Heritage grants are below. For more information about the grants and the Maritime Heritage Program, please visit www.nps.gov/martime/grants.intro.htm.

National Maritime Heritage Program Grant RecipientsCalifornia

Aircraft Carrier Hornet Foundation

Educational Programs Interpreting Naval and Maritime History Through STEM